DEAR CAR TALK: Our 15-year-old grandson is 6 feet 5 inches and growing. He will be driving next year and is trying to find a car that will "fit" him. Any suggestions? — Sharon
DEAR READER: Something with a sunroof?
Off the top of my head — no pun intended — the vehicles we've driven recently with the most headroom have been pickup trucks, which are built with room for cowboy hats.
The Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport also had good headroom, as did — surprisingly — the Subaru Forester, and the Nissan Leaf.
You might Google "best vehicles for tall people" to get some more ideas for your shopping list, Sharon. Look for at least 40 inches of headroom.
If possible, look for a power seat with height adjustment. That way, he can lower it all the way down and make room for his bouffant.
Depending on how Junior's parts fit together, leg room could be equally, if not more, important. So, look for 40-plus inches of front leg room, too.
And when you've finished solving this problem for him, Sharon, your next letter should be to "Door Talk."
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DEAR CAR TALK: I read your column every week. Having been in pest control for 32 years, I'd like to comment on your article about rodents chewing on Toyota engine parts.
Having originated from Asia, rats have an instinct based on the bamboo they chewed there, because they often found water or insects inside. Because of this, they have an instinct to chew round things. It's quite common, from wires to hoses. I've seen the damage they can do.
My advice: Try not to store your vehicle outside. Make sure your garage door and any other entrances to your garage have less than a ¼-inch gap to the ground.
And last, but most importantly, try not to store things on the floor of the garage against the walls. Keep things at least 9 inches off the ground — on shelves if possible. That's their main hideout, and if they're exposed, they won't want to hang around. — Dave
DEAR READER: Thanks, Dave. I'm not up on my ancient rat history. But I am going right out to the garage now to move my emergency supply of cheddar cheese off the floor.
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DEAR CAR TALK: I took my 2017 Nissan Murano Platinum to the dealership for my 30,000-mile service. The front brake pads were OK, but they said my rear pads were down to 3 millimeters and needed to be replaced. They suggested replacing those rear pads and resurfacing the rear rotors at a cost of $330.
I then took my car to a couple of independent repair shops for second and third opinions. The second shop said I only need brake pads on the back, and that the rotors were not that bad. Besides, they said, rotors can't be resurfaced on newer Nissan models. His quote was $220.
The third shop told me he didn't want to just replace the pads without new rotors. He said the old rotors would make the new pads squeal because they were glazed. He also said you can't resurface the rotors, so they need to be replaced. His price is $380.
So, who is yanking my chain? Is the dealer correct that you can resurface the rotors on newer Nissans, or do the independents know something the dealer doesn't? — Al
DEAR READER: Technically, any rotor can be removed and resurfaced. The question is whether it makes any sense to do it.
We haven't resurfaced a rotor in 10 years.
It's just not worth it anymore. Rotors are fairly inexpensive, and for the $50 difference in price, you can have new rotors rather than thinner, resurfaced rotors.
If it were my car, I'd go to guy No. 3 and just do everything all at once and be done with it. But based on the number of opinions you sought out, Al, including mine, I'm guessing you're of a frugal nature. In which case, you can certainly use guy No. 2, and just do the rear pads.
If he has checked the rear rotors and is sure they've got some life left, and they're not warped, he can deglaze them for you with a sanding disc when he changes the pads. In fact, that may be all the dealer intended to do.
Your mechanic should make sure he uses all the correct hardware and puts the anti-squeal paste on the back of the pads when he installs them. And you could be fine.
And the worst thing that will happen? Your rear brakes could make some noise. If they do, and it bothers you enough, you can always go back and have the guy put in new rear rotors then.
You'll have to pay for the labor again, which I know is going to frost you, Al. So if you get to that point, there's always ear plugs. Good luck.
Ray Magliozzi dispenses advice about cars in Car Talk every Saturday. Email him by visiting cartalk.com